3. Ecotourism Assessment_Cameroon.pdf

Cameroon

USAID FABS

Congo Basin Nature-Based Tourism Assessment

Table of Contents:

Country Snapshot Country Analysis

Five Priority Site Packets Campo Ma’an National Park

Mount Cameroon National Park North Province Landscape

Dja Faunal Reserve Lobeke National Park

Destination Snapshot:

Association of Cameroonian

Tour Guides (AGTC)

Professional, non-profit organization. Created in 2004.

Affiliate member of the

WFTGA since 2011.

Four categories of membership:

Active, sympathetic, affiliate, & honorary.

13-member executive board & regional representatives.

Cameroon Association forSustainable Tourism

(CAMAST)

Arm of the Rural Development CentreAssociation for Cameroon

(RUDEC)

CAMAST’s online presence is via Facebook. The most recent post is from 2020.

National Tourism Associations

E-Visa:

Yes, but only if arriving at an international airport (not via a land crossing, although there is a plan to change this in the future)

Tourist Visa Cost:

US Citizens: $181 short stay visa (<6 months) UK Citizens: $200 short stay visa (<6 months) EU Citizens: $166 short stay visa (<6 months)

Supplementary Requirements:

Letter of invitation Booked return flight (with proof) Booked accommodation (with proof)

(These extra steps increase the burden on visitors and hosts)

Nuances of the visa process:

The visa application process can be tricky if the country of origin for the visitor does not have a Cameroon embassy (applicant needs to select the nearest embassy that covers their country, but this is not clear on the website)

Tourism Visa Information

As of 2023, Cameroon does not have a standalone tourism policy.

National Tourism Strategies & Policy

However, tourism strategies are discussed within the framework of broader development policies, like the Cameroonian National Development Strategy

(2020-2030), published by the Ministry of

Economy, Planning, and Regional Development, facilitated by the UNDP.

(pictured right)

In this document, the tourism industry is identified as one of the major pillars involved in the “structural transformation of [Cameroon’s] economy.”

Specific goals include:

Defining & organizing investment priorities for 2-3 flagship tourism products Providing incentives for Public-Private Partnerships Structuring of actors and stakeholders in tourism Develop education related to tourism culture

The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report, 2019

World Economic Forum

Overall Ranking: 128th of 140

Sub-Sahara Africa Ranking: 24th of 34

Tourism Policy & Enabling Conditions: 135th Infrastructure: 127th

Natural & Cultural Resources: 78th Travel & Tourism prioritization: 133rd

Safety & Security: 117th Environmental Sustainability: 51st

Tourist Service Infrastructure: 127th

Estimated Travel & Tourism Jobs:

930,000, 8.5% of country total (2019)

870,000, 7.4% of country total (2022)

GDP Contribution:

$3.4B USD/8.0% (2019)

$3.0B USD/6.6% (2022)

Inbound Arrivals:

1.02M (2019)

High: 1.08M (2017), Low: 150,000 (2020)

International Visitor Spending:

$670M USD (2019), $640M USD (2022)

Domestic Visitor Spending:

$2.1B USD (2019), $1.8B USD (2022)

Top Source Markets (2022):

France (#1), Belgium, UK, USA, Germany

The UNWTO Tourism Dashboard & WTTC’s Cameroon Country Report

Target Country

Mefou National Park

4.5/5 stars 138 Reviews

Lobeke National Park

5/5 stars 3 Reviews

Benoue National Park

4.5/5 stars 2 Reviews

Major International Hubs

Douala International Airport (DLA) Located in: Douala, largest city & economic capital

Flight Volume: 19 direct destinations

Yaoundé-Nsimalen International Airport (NSI) Located in: Yaoundé, Cameroon’s capital city

Flight volume: 9 direct destinations

Non-major routes:

Port Harcourt, Nigeria N’Djamena, Chad Lome, Togo Cotonou, Benin Kigali, Rwanda Bangui, CAR Brazzaville, Rep. of Congo Bata, Equatorial Guinea Libreville, Gabon

Major routes:

Brussels, Belgium Paris, France Casablanca, Morocco Istanbul, Turkiye Algiers, Algeria Cairo, Egypt Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Nairobi, Kenya Abuja, Nigeria Lagos, Nigeria

Major routes:

Paris, France Istanbul, Turkiye Casablanca, Morocco Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Abuja, Nigeria

Non-major routes:

Lome, Togo Libreville, Gabon Bangui, CAR

TripAdvisor

1,241 properties listed, high volume 7,300 hotel reviews

Product variation:

Budget: 51, MidRange: 94, Luxury: 12

242 ‘Things to Do’ listed 14 tours linked for booking

Online Presence

Lonely Planet

24 ‘Must-See Sights’ 1 linked activity for booking

3 National Parks listed:

Mefou, Campo-Ma’an, Waza

National Tourism Website:

‘Destination Cameroon’

Site is easy to find but lacks the content for a visitor to easily act and book a trip.

Overall Score: 58% Regional Average: 35% www.tourisminformationcameroon.net

Easy to Find (Tourism [Name])

Google Meta Description

Stunning Imagery

General Overview Information

What to Do

Where to Stay

How to Get There

Ability to Learn and Then Act on Information

Tourism Website Ranking Criteria: ‘Destination Cameroon’

Top National Parks for Tourism, based on traveler content on TripAdvisor (2023)

Information gathered from: Cameroon’s National Development Strategy (2020-2030), AGTC & CAMAST webpages, Destination Cameroon, LonelyPlanet (Nov. 2023), Tripadvisor (Nov. 2023), WEF Competitiveness Index (2019), UNWTO Tourism Dashboards, WTTC Country Reports, Embassy Websites, FlightConnections.com, LogisticsCluster.org, Independent Field Research, and Independent Stakeholder Interviews.

Destination Snapshot:

CameroonTarget Country https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=586734894&bih=828&biw=1638&rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS888US888&hl=en&q=Yaound%C3%A9&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgVuLUz9U3MKw0tUh5xGjCLfDyxz1hKe1Ja05eY1Tl4grOyC93zSvJLKkUEudig7J4pbi5ELp4FrFyRCbml-alHF4JAEfoJMdPAAAA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjP9tH1xuyCAxUlK1kFHV12C5wQzIcDKAB6BAgmEAE https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=586734894&bih=828&biw=1638&rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS888US888&hl=en&q=Yaound%C3%A9&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgVuLUz9U3MKw0tUh5xGjCLfDyxz1hKe1Ja05eY1Tl4grOyC93zSvJLKkUEudig7J4pbi5ELp4FrFyRCbml-alHF4JAEfoJMdPAAAA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjP9tH1xuyCAxUlK1kFHV12C5wQzIcDKAB6BAgmEAE http://tourisminformationcameroon.net/

Cameroon has 54 total protected areas, covering 51,538 km2. 10.98% of the country’s landmass is designated as protected according to Protected Planet. This figure is even larger when considering the 45 government and 26 community-managed hunting areas (ZIC’s). With 402 km of coastline, and an elevation of up to 4,000m at the peak of Mount Cameroon, the country offers a diversity of marine and varied terrestrial ecosystems.

In terms of publicly available raw numbers, Cameroon receives by far the highest number of international visitors compared to the other countries in the Congo Basin, with a 5-year average of almost 1-million visitors a year. This figure is impressive, but should also be taken in context as it includes all border crossings, including those for commercial trade, business, visiting friends & family as well as leisure tourism. The latter is likely a small portion of the total.

The country is known as ‘Africa in miniature’ due to its cultural and ecological diversity [2]. It is globally ranked #24 for biodiversity [1] and #20 for bird species diversity. Interestingly however Cameroon ranks #121 out of 180 countries regarding “actions toward retaining natural ecosystems and protecting the full range of biodiversity within their borders” [3]. Indicating the commitment to protect natural ecosystems (including parks) may be less focused in Cameroon than its neighbors, which all rank higher. According to stakeholders interviewed for this study, in recent years the pressures on the country's natural resources have been more significant, especially from extractive industries such as logging, mining and large scale farming, as well as poaching. Limited community involvement in conservation efforts has also contributed to the issue.

[1]The Swiftest Biodiversity index

[2] Data from BirdLife International. summarized at MongaBay.com https://rainforests.mongabay.com/03birds.htm

[3] https://epi.yale.edu/epi-results/2022/component/bdh

Overview

Country Analysis:

Cameroon https://theswiftest.com/biodiversity-index/ https://rainforests.mongabay.com/03birds.htm https://epi.yale.edu/epi-results/2022/component/bdh https://epi.yale.edu/epi-results/2022/component/bdh

Country Analysis:

Interviews with stakeholders with in-depth knowledge of the country provided a consistent theme that there was great potential for tourism, but a need for greater focus on, and support for, the sector. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure (MINTOUL), they have an institutional focus on ecotourism as their model through which tourism will be developed in the country. They have outlined a desired project called “Programme for the Promotion of Tourism, Resilience and Sustainable Development in Cameroon's Forest Communes (PTRDD- CFC)” with the objective to promote the development of sustainable tourism and ecotourism with the active participation of municipalities and local and indigenous communities in and around forest landscapes (Dja Faunal Reserves, LOBEKE National Park and the Campo MA'An National Park are included in the project outline). Funding for these activities is currently being sought. The 2020-2030 National Development Strategy also includes references to tourism.

Although it is only a part of the toolkit to protect natural ecosystems and biodiversity, the government’s focus, if implemented, would help to ensure tourism supports conservation and communities in areas of high biodiversity in the country. Progress so far has been slow with no stand alone tourism policy for the country and no specific tourism/ecotourism strategy.

Without these guiding documents and the capacity within government to put them in action it will be a challenge to realize significant movement in the tourism sector within Cameroon.

There is a need to strengthen the political will to support tourism and conservation in the country, which would help to create momentum around the sectors.

Based on the screening process conducted by the assessment team, five protected landscapes have the most significant short and medium-term tourism potential in the country:

Campo MA'An National Park Dja Faunal Reserves LOBEKE National Park Mount Cameroon National Park North Province Landscape (Faro-Bénoué-Bouba Ndjida and surrounding hunting blocks)

Some protected landscapes were recognized in the screening process, but ultimately not prioritized. Nki National Park was not prioritized based on information received from stakeholders, indicating that it would be quite difficult to develop tourism here in the short or medium-term. Kom National Park was not prioritized, as it is a proposed national park, unlikely to practically accommodate guests or tourism development until its full establishment as a park. However, because of its location along the southern border of the country as well as its proximity to other parks in the southern belt (Dja, Campo-Ma’an, Mengame, & Ngyola), this park may warrant additional analysis in the future. Mbam Djerem National Park has also been mentioned as having potential, although still at a very early stage. Korup National Park was removed because of security concerns mentioned by local operators, as well as NGOs working in the region. Team members were advised against visiting this park for research, indicating difficulty for potential tourists as well.

Nature-Based Tourism

Infrastructure, Access, & Services

There are two international airports in the country, with Douala on the coast receiving direct international flights from 19 destinations and Yaounde receiving international flights from 9 destinations. Flights to Cameroon are also relatively more cost competitive than regional peers making it a little cheaper to fly to than other locations.

With more flights to the coast, opportunities may be greater for parks that could form a circuit in this region (Campo MA’An and Mount Cameroon National Parks). Regionally Cameroon airports are connected to Gabon, Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic that could also offer cross border travel and tourism circuit potential.

There are also a number of connections with cities in Nigeria, a potential source market for tourism given the size of its middle class (approximately 50 million people). A World Bank study that looked at the Nigerian travel market, estimated that there are over four million people living in the Lagos region with over US$5,000 in purchasing power and an interest in travel outside of Nigeria [4].

Regularly scheduled domestic flights are available to nearby access hubs for Campo MA’An (Kribi), Mount Cameroon (Douala) and the North Province Landscape (Garoua). Charter flights are also possible to these locations and near to Dja, but not Lobeke. All still require an element of road transport to get into the park.

Although relatively well connected to international airport hubs, the road conditions within Cameroon are generally considered to be poor. Only 6.6% of all roads are paved and road coverage compared to the country's landmass is average for the region. The government has a focus on improving the road infrastructure in the country, but moving around in-country by road will likely remain a challenge for the short and medium term. This means that connecting parks through purely driving circuits is a challenge and air with elements of road connections is likely the most viable way to package tourism circuits in the country in the short/medium term. There is also a lack of accommodation in or near key protected areas to stimulate more cohesive tourism circuits.

Enabling Environment

[4] Benins-new-venture-to-expand-tourism, World Bank 2017 https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2017/04/27/benins-new-venture-to-expand-tourism-from-26-percent-to-10-percent-of-gdp-in-ten-years

Enablers

Cameroon is said, by some working in the country, to have a relatively friendly business environment and it is ‘relatively easy’ to open a business compared to regional peers. This is however relative and Cameroon ranks 167 out of 190 countries globally and 34 in Africa measured for overall ‘ease of doing business.’ Although low, this is the best ranking of the five Congo Basin countries surveyed. Breaking the ranking down further, Cameroon ranks 17 in Africa for opening a business (a much better ranking than countries like Uganda and Tanzania, but not as good as Rwanda) and 13 for access to credit. It ranks low on factors such as taxes, trading across borders and registering property.

In 2010 the government formed the Cameroon Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA) that is designed to provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ for investment in the country. Although this resource is available, it appears to focus on larger investments, and therefore may be less applicable for smaller scale nature-based tourism investments. Tourism, media and leisure investments were 2% of its portfolio by 2020. The government does provide some business and tax incentives to investors (more information here). Cameroon has also improved the visa process relatively recently (e-visa) and although the process still requires a letter of invitation is said to be much improved.

Major conservation partners working in the landscape include WWF (with a focus on lowland gorilla conservation and habituation in Campo-Ma’an) and AWF (working on tourism, infrastructure and conservation management relating to Campo-Ma’an as well as some in Dja and Faro-Benoue parks). Both also work with the government at the national level. WCS is also working at the national level and more specifically in the North Province Landscape along with Conserve Global.

As a country and in/around the target protected areas, security is not a major issue. The US travel advisory for the country is level 2 (same as France and the UK), with some elevated security warnings for specific areas, including Mount Cameroon, but not the other target parks.

The challenge Cameroon faces (along with peer countries) is more of an image one, with the country not well known within the international travel market and a general perception of insecurity for the broad area.

Stakeholder surveys relating to tourism in five key protected areas in the country indicated that workforce capacity and the skills needed to service tourism operations was a consistent challenge. The survey also suggested that the level of workforce capacity was lower relative to other Congo Basin countries, demonstrating the need for improved training for tourism workers to stay regionally competitive.

Enabling Environment https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-investment-climate-statements/cameroon/

Recommendations

Nature-based tourism economic impact study, possibly as a part of the above plan. This study would assess and project the potential economic impact for the country if nature-based tourism was developed and package this information into easy to understand infographics to help encourage a more meaningful focus on the sector. A socialization and educational program should also be implemented to get this information in-front of relevant stakeholders, especially government officials

**Nature-based tourism plan for Cameroon with a specific focus on circuit development and the components needed to activate tourism circuits (accommodation, activities, transport, sales/marketing, etc.). Initial areas of focus may include Campo MA’An, Mount Cameroon and the Northern Province Landscape (Faro-Bénoué-Bouba Ndjida and surrounding hunting blocks), along with the communities in/around these locations and access hubs (towns). Further expansion could then focus on Dja, Lobeke and possibly Mbam Djerem and Kom.

The planning process will engage with all key stakeholder groups in the country and foster meaningful dialogue relating to the future of the sector. The plan should explore opportunities for innovative tourism products in each landscape, including specialty activities such as sport fishing, hunting, etc.

Lower Cost & Short-Term Actions:

**Critical Enabler

Building on the nations tourism slogan ‘Africa in Miniature,’ logical target circuits in the short and medium-term may focus on Campo MA’An for coastal and forest experiences, Mount Cameroon for highlands and the Northern Province Landscape for savanna/big game. Longer term, Dja has potential for its forest ecosystem and Baka pygmies as well as Lobeke when linked to Sangha Trinational conservation complex, although access to these last two is more challenging and therefore will take time to address.

**Capacity and skill development for government staff, including MINTOUL and other relevant ministries to build a greater understanding of the nature-based tourism sector (and conservation work) in the country as well as its potential. Training would include introductory information about the sector and its potential, best practices, models from peer countries that can be replicated, etc. The goal is to build greater interest and action to support and grow the sector in Cameroon.

Recommendations

Support the government, private sector, donors and civil society in the establishment of a ‘Tourism Working Group,’ that includes representatives from relevant stakeholder groups. This group would help to guide the proposed activities in this document as well as build greater collaboration and momentum among stakeholders. This may include collaborative actions on planning, marketing, training, visa and regulations, etc. One organization should be identified as the ‘facilitator’ and play this role for at least 3-years to consistently organize meetings, coordinate among representatives and share information with the broader network of tourism stakeholders in the country.

Lower Cost & Short-Term Actions: (continued)

Micro-campaign focused on attracting expat travelers from Cameroon and neighboring countries to Douala for packaged trips to Mount Cameroon and/or Campo MA’An. The goal is to use the campaign to bring the tourism private sector, government and other stakeholders together to work on a specific tangible action and also to improve capacity within the country relating to current marketing techniques.

The program would focus on packaging each park (including promotional content), identify gaps and issues, work on short-term solutions to any issues and then implement a campaign to promote the packaged itineraries (developed by stakeholders). Through the process stakeholders would work together to test and refine the offer, develop workable itineraries to sell in the short-term and identify gaps for future investment. This would also build momentum in the sector through specific, visible actions.

**Critical Enabler

Recommendations

Higher Cost & Medium-Term Actions:

Support the MINTOL Programme for the Promotion of Tourism, Resilience and Sustainable Development in Cameroon's Forest Communes (PTRDD-CFC) and/or explore ways in which components of the program can be supported.

**Challenge grant and technical assistance program to attract private investment in tourism anchor sites (accommodations) in or around each target protected area. Building on the nature-based tourism plan and related short-term activities, prospectus documents would be developed for each site along with challenge grants to incentivize investors to the sites. The grant funds would be considered ‘on behalf of the local community’ and therefore the communities investment and ownership stake in the tourism facility that are developed. This could be structured as a community bond (fixed annual payment), or stock ownership (split of revenues). Investment and management agreements would be structured to ensure mutual benefits (financial and other) for the investor, community and protected area.

Building a critical mass of tourism experiences is also key to the success of tourism in the parks.

Therefore a complementary program to the above would focus on development of a ‘critical mass’ of at least 5 tourism activities in each target location. This would include identification of the activities (possibly through the Nature-based tourism plan), tourism product development and training (with a challenge element to attract entrepreneurial community members and innovation), small grants, marketing and sales materials, connection with local sales channels (tour operators and local accommodations) and packaging to connect the activities. This should be implemented in partnership with the tourism private sector, so tourism operators can help guide what they can sell and also learn best practices in developing tourism experiences for the future.

**Critical Enabler

Regional marketing campaign, in partnership with the private sector and government, to attract regional tourism markets such as expats, the Nigerian middle class, etc. This would include development of marketing materials, packages/circuits and outreach to tour operators in target source markets to help them promote and sell tours to the country. This could later be expanded to broader international markets and specialty segments like sports fishing connected with Gabon or other such circuits, but should start more regionally as it will be an easier market to mobilize.

Cameroon: Priority Protected Areas Destination Snapshots, Scorecards, Site Analyses, & Recommendations

Campo Ma’an National Park

Mount Cameroon National Park

North Province Landscape

Lobéké National Park

Destination Maturity Scale:

None = No tourism facilities or tourist infrastructure in the park

Basic = Only simple, self-service facilities in the park

Limited = One serviced tourism facility operating in the park

Diverse = Multiple serviced tourism facilities & touristic infrastructure in the park

Destination Maturity Definitions:

Nearby park headquarters = Within 5-10km of park boundary

Self-serviced accommodations = no staff, basic facilities. Serviced accommodations = Comes with some type of formal touristic service (i.e., staff, a restaurant, etc.)

Visitor activities special request = They need to be organized through an NGO or other organization and are not readily commercially available

Visitor activities openly available = They are commercially available to visitors, without the need for special connections

Accessibility:

International Air = The closest &/or most popular international airport for tourists to the park

Domestic Air = The closest domestic airports or local airstrips for travelers to the park

Ground & Water = Details roads and waterways used to access the park, including route information from airports and nearby cities

Within Parks = How travelers move within park boundaries, including relevant roadways, waterways, hiking paths, and relevant modes of transportation

Seasonality Icons:

Sun = Dry season(s)

Rain = Wet/Rainy season(s)

When relevant, also includes important wildlife seasons and/or the ‘best’ time to visit.

Geographic Features:

Standout, iconic, or distinctive geographic features in or around the park

Wildlife:

Key species that can be found in the park

Human Capital:

Description of the technical expertise available in and around the park (i.e., conservation partners &

NGOs) as well as the tourism capacities of local communities and residents.

Destination Snapshots Key

Quick Facts:

270,000 Hectares Largely Coastal Evergreen Rainforest IUCN Category 2 - ‘National Park’ Park Entry Fee: 5,000 CFA (foreigners) Gorilla Habituation: Ongoing

Seasonality:

November to March, July to August April to June, August to October

Screenshot from ProtectedPlanet.net

Accessibility:

Int’l Air Douala Int’l Airport:

171 km to Kribi, 254 km to Campo

Yaoundé Int’l Airport

286 km to Kribi, 370 km to Campo

Domestic Air

Kribi Airport: Aerodrome built for light aircrafts

No airstrip within the park

Ground

Douala is approx. 6 hours’ drive to Campo Yaoundé is approx. 10 hours’ drive to Campo.

Best Route (historically):

Leg 1: Kribi to Campo 80 km of “passable dirt road” and wooden plank bridges

Leg 2: Campo to CMNP 45 km of rugged dirt road

Considered largely inaccessible for unfit or unprepared travelers.

Road conditions dangerous & volatile in rainy season.

As of October 2023, there is no direct road access into the park due to a broken bridge. The only access from Campo then is by boat, which has been true for at least 5 years.

Water

20-25 minutes by motorboat from Campo Port to the park’s landing point.

From the landing point, it is a 1.5km walk through rough paths in the forest to the main camp.

Within Park

All travel within the park is on foot, largely walking with guides. Occasional river boat usage on the Ntem

& Campo rivers.

Site Destination Maturity

Relative to the Congo Basin Market

Outside the Park:

Basic accommodations in Campo

Variety of lodging options in Kribi

Within the Park:

Platforms for tents along the Ntem River.

Mobile camps for habituation groups moving throughout the forest.

No formal facilities or infrastructure.

Accommodations & Facilities

Transportation Infrastructure

Park Headquarters

Availability of

Accommodations

Accommodation Product

Variation

Visitor Activities

Activity Product Variation

None Basic Limited Diverse

‘Camp Couscous’ is the park’s main camp.

‘Gorilla Habituation Camp’ further into the forest.

Both are very basic.

Fair

Nearby

Self-serviced

Low

Special Request

Low

Campo Ma’an National Park, Cameroon

TripAdvisor Rating:

Google Reviews Rating:

44 Total Reviews

7 Total Reviews

TripAdvisor Reviews 2018 - 2022

“An experience to be carried out with full knowledge of the facts, this will not necessarily be easy.”

“Not worth the effort in rainy season”

“None of it impressive enough though to go through [the hassle]”

“The proximity of the [park] to beautiful beaches makes for anenticing combination” “The park is neither suitable for mass nor for high-priced individual tourism - poor infrastructure, high costs, but little on offer, poorfinancial infrastructure...”“You will see seaside, forest and experience sleeping in a wild butsafe environment”

TripAdvisor Reviews2014 - 2016

Welcoming local communities due nearby pilot ecotourism projects.

Human Capital

WWF:

Supporting park governance, leading the gorilla habituation program

AWF:

Leading the tourism development workstream within the park

Photos taken by team on independent field visits, 2023

Google Maps (2023) Campo Ma’an National Park.

Information sourced from TripAdvisor (Nov. 2023), Google Reviews (Nov. 2023), Protected Planet, WWF, AWF, FEDEC - Campo Ma’an National Park, BirdLife International (2024), Discover-Cameroon.com, Government Websites, LogisticsCluster.org, Independent Field Visits, and Stakeholder Interviews

Current & Potential Natural Tourism Assets:

Geographic Features:

Evergreen rainforest, Dipikar Island, Campo River, waterfalls, and the

‘Tree Museum’ (century-old tree).

Right outside park boundaries are the Campo and Ebodje beaches with marine turtles. Significant because it is the only Cameroonian park featuring direct contact with the marine space of the Atlantic coast.

Borders with Equatorial Guinea:

cross-border tourism circuit potential.

Wildlife:

Forest elephants, Western Lowland Gorillas, Central Chimpanzees, Mandrills, Giant Pangolins, Duikers, and 300+ bird species (200 in park, 100 in buffer zones).

Designated an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.

Campo Ma’an National Park, Cameroon

Ground Accessibility

Domestic Air Accessibility

*Security

(ex. violence, human threats, etc.)

Safety

(ex. illness & health, animal attacks, etc.)

Skills & Capacities of the Domestic Workforce

Average Traveler Experience (with prior visits to Central Africa)

Average Traveler Experience (with no prior visits to Central Africa)

Current Level of Tourism Development

Potential for Tourism Development

Additional Insights from Survey:

There is formal interest from tourism investors and opportunities for expanded tourism in Campo Ma’an National Park.

Boats are, at present, the best way to access the site because a) the road from Kribi is “not very practical,” and b) the bridge to Dipikar Island needs to be upgraded.

Key Takeaways:

Campo Ma’an is considered more secure than other sites in the Congo Basin market.

The average traveler experience in Campo Ma’an is seen as slightly weaker compared to other Congo Basin sites.

The current level of tourism development is much weaker than other sites in the Congo Basin, with a strong potential for tourism development following appropriate investments and strong leadership.

Responses collected from Congo Basin experts & stakeholders via Qualtrics surveys, from October 2023 - March 2024

Campo Ma’an National Park, Cameroon Destination Scorecard:

*For additional information on security, see site analysis below.

Campo Ma’an National Park Tourism Assessment Survey Results

Stakeholders with firsthand knowledge of the park were asked to rank different aspects of tourism in and around the park.

Ranking was based on a 1-10 scale:

‘1’ represents relative weakness in the field and ‘10’ represents strength in the field.

Site Analysis:

Campo Ma’an National Park

Campo-Ma’an National Park (CMNP) is located in southwest Cameroon, bordering the Atlantic Ocean to the west and separated from Equatorial Guinea by the Campo River. The main park is roughly 270,000 Hectares and the peripheral zone, also known as the Campo-Ma’an Technical Unit, is another 500,000 Hectares [1].

CMNP’s landscape is largely coastal evergreen rainforest, however, right outside of the park’s boundaries are the Campo and Ebodje beaches. This makes Campo-Ma'an Cameroon’s only National Park with direct connection to the marine environments of the Atlantic coast, a key selling point for offering a diverse tourism experience in the country.

Other key natural features include the Campo & Ntem Rivers and Dipikar Island estuary park, the site where WWF’s ongoing gorilla habituation program is located [2]. Also found within CMNP, on Dipikar Island, is an area known as ‘The Tree Museum,’ which consists of an extremely large and old tree painted on by past generations using natural materials, a unique ‘photo-op’ site within the forest. As for wildlife, Campo-Ma’an has stable populations of western lowland gorillas, chimps, and forest elephants, as noted by WWF’s 2014 wildlife census [3]. Other key wildlife species include giant pangolins, buffalo, panthers (black leopards), and mandrills [4].

While CMNP is not subject to any specific travel advisories, the U.S. Department of State has issued a ‘Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution’ travel advisory for Cameroon as a whole [5] (for comparison, France and the UK are in the same category). In and around CMNP there is a very low risk of crime or other security threats. The main concern for tourism development is remoteness and access to respond to any medical emergencies. Heavy rainfall on dirt roads and dense forests make access and evacuation difficult.

Overview

[1]https://academicjournals.org/journal/IJBC/article-full-text-pdf/E49DDFE70124

[2]https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/3zjht4t4py_CBSL_IP_Cameroon_WWF_GEF_ProDoc_21_07_30_final.pdf

[3]https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?325912/The-saving-of-Campo-Maan-National-Park

[4]https://fedec.cm/en/le-parc-national-de-campo-maan/

[5]https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/cameroon-travel-advisory.html https://academicjournals.org/journal/IJBC/article-full-text-pdf/E49DDFE70124 https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/3zjht4t4py_CBSL_IP_Cameroon_WWF_GEF_ProDoc_21_07_30_final.pdf https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?325912/The-saving-of-Campo-Maan-National-Park https://fedec.cm/en/le-parc-national-de-campo-maan/ https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/cameroon-travel-advisory.html

Both the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) support CMNP. AWF is focused on supporting park management, community development and ecotourism [6], and has been working in Campo-Ma’an since 2019 while WWF is focused on gorilla habituation and a ‘One Health’ program in and around the Park landscape. CMNP is the only park in the country with habituated gorilla groups, including one fully habituated and another in the early stages. Presently there is no gorilla tourism offered.

Representatives from AWF note strong potential for ecotourism in CMNP. The close proximity and infrastructure developments in nearby Kribi (80 km from the park) have been quoted as “really helping” the potential for tourism in the park and Campo Village. AWF works closely with the Cameroonian Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) in promoting ecotourism, as well as preparing formal strategies related to ecotourism in the park.

Another strong indicator of potential for ecotourism development in Campo-Ma’an is the recently signed agreement between MINFOF, the Tourism Ministry, and African Travel Management (ATM). ATM is a private tourism operator, who under the agreement signed in 2023, will be responsible for mobilizing resources for ecotourism. Specifically, ATM will be focused on developing touristic facilities, lodging, and activities in CMNP. Initially they are expected to tap into the domestic market, providing a 4 night/3 day trips from Douala linking up Douala-Edea National Park, Kribi, Campo Village and Campo Ma’an National Park.

Supporting and expanding the ATM efforts as well as the gorilla habituation and trail work being done on Dipikar Island are key near-term drivers for tourism development. There is also a significant opportunity to better link the Park with the nearby town of Kribi. Kribi is one of Cameroon’s most popular tourist spots, with travelers drawn to the sandy beaches, handicrafts, water activities, etc. Because of its popularity, Kribi has a wide range of accommodation options and good infrastructure, including well-maintained asphalt roads to both Douala and Yaoundé.

The World Bank notes that the potential to attract tourists from Kribi to CMNP is enormous [7]

Opportunities also exist for community-based tourism. In nearby Ebodje, the fishing village is undertaking ecotourism pilot projects, mainly related to sea turtles and other marine life. One local resident explains, “Sea turtle ecotourism has changed Ebodje” [8], where travelers come in relatively large numbers to see the turtles. The traveler profile of those coming to Ebodje beaches for ecotourism largely resemble the same types of travelers who would be interested in CMNP. Creating a link between coastal ecotourism products and CMNP’s more forest-centric ecotourism products has a strong development opportunity for both groups of stakeholders.

Indeed, in addition to water sports in Campo Ma’an National Park such as kayaking and canoeing, ATM highlighted intentions to link experiences at Campo Ma’an with sea-based excursions in the recently-designated Manyange na Elombo Marine Park, such as whale and dolphin-watching (albeit limited to a short 2-month season every year). ATM also outlined an intention to develop visitor experiences with pygmies in Campo Ma’an, allowing different villages to share aspects of their culture such as traditional medicines and subsistence crafts.

Nature-Based Tourism Development Opportunities

Campo Ma’an National Park

Access The most significant constraint to tourism development for CMNP is access. Historically, the best way into the park was first, from Kribi to Campo Village via passable dirt roads and wooden plank bridges, and then into the park by more rugged dirt road. However, these roadways deteriorate during the rainy season, and are still in dangerous and unreliable condition in dry seasons. Accessing the park by road is not viable for unfit or unprepared travelers, minimizing the reach of potential target markets. Furthermore, as of October 2023, a broken bridge along this route has prevented direct road access into CMNP. It is currently unknown when this bridge will be fixed. The option of a coastal ferry from Kribi to Campo has been discussed, however the navy base at Campo and the nearby border with Equatorial Guinea may prove to be sensitive to develop this as a regularly-used access route for tourists.

Accommodation & Infrastructure Another constraint for tourism development in CMNP is the lack of accommodation infrastructure. Both camps within the park are very basic with no formal facilities or infrastructure. Though they are feasible accommodation options for the intrepid traveler, they are limited to only this segment of the market. These constraints have trickle-down effects where tour operators, who are key to growing tourism in the area, cannot facilitate travel to and around the park as easily as other protected areas and are therefore hesitant to promote the park until its an easier and more reliable tourism experience. ATM has outlined an intention to develop a lodge or cabins on Dipikar Island, but the scale and timeframe for this is not yet clear.

Investments in Community-Based Ecotourism Campo village and port is currently the launch point for travel by boat into CMNP. It sees multiple ferries a day arriving from Equatorial Guinea and there is some small-scale subsistence fishing activity, along with small shops and basic accommodation. Other than this there is little economic activity. Investments aimed at developing alternative livelihood opportunities for locals around ecotourism in the village, for example crafts and music experiences would complement the key tourism product (wildlife) in the Park itself and provide revenue-generating opportunities for local people. This could also be packaged as a circuit with Ebodje to create a mixed community and wildlife, multi-activity experience

Enabling Environment Constraints

Campo Ma’an National Park

[6]https://www.awf.org/pressroom/kfw-visits-campo-maan-landscape-cameroon

[7]https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/364731468233038110/pdf/E23260REVISED01AFR1EA1P1129751Final.pdf

[8]https://mintoul.gov.cm/en/site/ebodje-ecotourism-site/ https://www.awf.org/pressroom/kfw-visits-campo-maan-landscape-cameroon https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/364731468233038110/pdf/E23260REVISED01AFR1EA1P1129751Final.pdf https://mintoul.gov.cm/en/site/ebodje-ecotourism-site/

In collaboration with African Travel Management, the private operator recently charged with mobilizing resources for ecotourism development, support development of 2-3 additional tourism experiences and accommodation to be offered in the park (to establish a critical mass of activities/services). Activities may include trails, other wildlife based activities, etc. This may also include support to identify other investors in tourism services and activities as well as the structures and systems to ensure these activities and investments generate revenues that support the park and local communities.

Recommendations & Considerations

Continued investment supporting the work being done on Dipikar Island: gorilla habituation according to best practices and establish structures, fees and guidelines for gorilla tourism.

**Improved access from Kribi via water. Examine the feasibility of a coastal route from Kribi to Campo Village (estimated ~1.5 hours), including whether the government will allow this given the proximity to the border as well as the type of craft needed to safely provide the service.

Lower Cost & Short-Term Actions:

**Critical Enabler

Campo Ma’an National Park

Develop marketing strategies and campaigns aimed specifically at attracting Kribi tourists to Campo Ma’an National Park.

Creation of a more formal tourism circuit between CMNP and Kribi (including community and turtle activities in Ebodje and Campo).

Eventually also expand this to Mount Cameroon NP.

Travel trade outreach program to develop content (visuals, text and itineraries) to engage and excite national tour operators about the activities in the park along with support to help them package and sell to international travel trade that specialize in intrepid, authentic, and/or nature-based tourism.

Recommendations & Considerations

**Re-establish the alternative access route to the park from Yaounde, which is currently impassable due to a broken bridge. Rebuilding this bridge and ensuring access and maintenance is under the Park’s remit or influence and would be needed to ensure its ongoing viability as an access point.

**Improved access from Kribi via road. The route can be impassable to vehicles other than 4WD and trucks in the wet season. The road also crosses over a dozen small rivers that discharge into the sea, with bridges in deteriorating condition and built to low standards (many with no guard rails) presenting a safety risk to travelers.

**Critical Enabler

Campo Ma’an National Park

Investments to increase access to Dipikar Island: rebuild the existing bridge or invest in higher quality boats as well as the trail network and site guides.

Higher Cost & Medium-Term Actions:

Accessibility:

Int’l Air

Douala International Airport (Douala):

~1.5 hours from

Buea (65km) and Limbe (75km)

Busses and taxis regularly make trips between the Douala Airport and Buea/Limbe.

Domestic Air

Airstrip in park boundaries: Unknown

Tiko Domestic Airport:

~18 km from Beau

One runway, suitable for private charters.

June 2023: Announcement of new Tiko Airport site expansion & rehabilitation.

Ground

Many tour guide itineraries note that they meet travelers in either

Douala or Limbe, driving them then to Beau to begin the park tour.

From Beau to ‘Upper Farms’

(the traditional hiking trailhead, right outside of park boundaries):

Tour operators drive travelers, ~20 mins.

Within Park

Currently, the park is only accessible on foot.

Entering the park boundaries with a vehicle is not permitted. (Applicable after ‘Upper Farms’)

There are plans to create a regulated shuttle service to the lodges in tandem with improved road accessibility projects.

Upper Farms trailhead to Hut #2:

~7.4km trek

From Hut #2 to Summit:

~4.5km trek

Descent from peak to Mann’s Spring Lodge:

~12km trek

Mann’s Spring Lodge to Bokwoango Village:

(common pick-up spot for Beau transfer) ~13km trek

Site Destination Maturity

Relative to the Congo Basin Market

Quick Facts:

58,178 Hectares Mountain peak 4,095m (13,435 ft) Lowland rainforests, cloud forest, sub-alpine grassland, and the active volcano.

IUCN Category 2 - ‘National Park’ Park Entry Fee: 5,000 CFA (for foreigners) Site of forest elephants & chimps

Seasonality:

November - March Best time for climbing Mount Cameroon: Dec-Feb

April - October

Screenshot from ProtectedPlanet.net

Transportation Infrastructure

Park Headquarters

Availability of

Accommodations

Accommodation Product

Variation

Visitor Activities

Activity Product Variation

None Basic Limited Diverse

Fair

Offsite

Dedicated website and contact info

Serviced

Medium

Openly Available

Must use local operator for entry

Medium

Accommodations & Facilities Two operational lodges in MCNP:

Fako Mountain Lodge:

(“Hut/Camp #2”)

Situated at 2,800m altitude on the main summit hiking trail.

There are 6 cabins alongside a restaurant & bar area. There are also 10 tent platforms available.

Solar-powered facilities.

User reviews note that this accommodation is comfortable and relatively affordable.

Mann’s Spring Lodge:

(“Hut/Camp #1”)

Situated at 2,300m altitude along the savannah & forests’ edge.

There are 6 cabins (2 in the savannah, 3 in the forest) as well as a restaurant & bar. The site is equipped with water & solar energy.

Mount Cameroon National Park, Cameroon

Human Capital

WWF

MCNP is one of the parks under the WWF

Coastal Forests Program, in which WWF provides technical and administrative support to park management.

On the park’s official website, it notes that travelers are not permitted to enter the park without a guide.

A list of registered local tour operators is linked on the site.

As of Dec. 2023, the list includes 13 registered organizations with manager names, phone numbers, email addresses, and websites (when applicable).

PDF linked here.

“This is written fairly and accurately with a view to helping other climbers to make an informed decision:

Positives:

The national park is huge and well worth the visit.

The starting point is easily accessible and the ascent is manageable.The local fish that was cooked fresh was amazing with a few beers.The Manager Simo was supportive and helpful especially with airport transfers.

Negatives:

The visa process is not available on arrival and it is a nightmare and much more expensive and bureaucratic than any other African country.

The area around Buea is generally uneasy for

Westerners/Europeans and there are many police checkpoints from Douala to Buea which can feel uncomfortable and harrassing.

The airport is small and flights are subject to constant change.”

TripAdvisor Review2020

Note: The park itself does not have its own dedicated TripAdvisor page.

These reviews instead are pulled from ‘Mount Cameroon’ in association with Queen Tours (a local tour operator).

Google Maps (2023) Mount Cameroon National Park.

Google Reviews Rating:

“[Fako Ecolodge] is super comfortable and the views from the summit are amazing, fully recommend it!”

“It was a great experience very well planned and we had so nice Guides!”

“The trek, the lodge, the food, everything was well planned and prepared for us [By ‘Queen

Tours’].”

“Our expectations were exceeded, from the stay in the very tidy lodges to the almost

"magical" places such as the Volkan craters and crater lakes.”

“A fantastic area, combined with good organization, guaranteed us a great time in

Cameroon!”

TripAdvisor Rating:

54 Total Reviews

60 Total Reviews

TripAdvisor Reviews 2020 - 2023

“Hiking up Mount Cameroon was one of the highlights of my trip through West Africa.”

“Coordination by Simo in their office was invaluable for sorting permits and logistics.”

“Getting a visa for Cameroon can be tricky but Sarah Etonge, who set up the Queen of the Mountain agency and its associated charity, is well-known and respected, so mentioning I had a tour with them really helped with the visa application process.

“Cameroon is really blessed with this wonderful touristic site.”

TripAdvisor Reviews 2018 - 2019

Information sourced from TripAdvisor (Nov. 2023), Google Reviews (Nov. 2023), MountCameroonNationalPark.org, EcoTourGuidesCameroon.com, Google Reviews (Nov. 2023), BirdLife International (2024), Cameroon.Panda.org, GlobalNationalParks.com, LogisticsCluster.org, Protected Planet, Government Websites, Independent Field Visits, and Stakeholder Interviews

Current & Potential Natural Tourism Assets:

Geographic Features:

Mount Cameroon (one of Africa’s largest volcanoes, active), Western slope features unbroken vegetation of rainforests, montane forests, montane grasslands, alpine grasslands, crater lakes, and volcanic rock.

The geological and vegetation diversity creates a very unique landscape for hiking.

Wildlife:

Biodiversity hotspot and one of the most diverse ecosystems in

Cameroon.

Forest Elephants, Chimpanzees, and ~370 bird species.

Designated an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.

Mount Cameroon National Park, Cameroon https://www.mountcameroonnationalpark.org/_files/ugd/f2c585_9f752cc892ae4957bc272e305c1e69c7.pdf

*Security

(ex. violence, human threats, etc.)

Safety

(ex. illness & health, animal attacks, etc.)

Skills & Capacities of the Domestic Workforce

Average Traveler Experience (with prior visits to Central Africa)

Average Traveler Experience (with no prior visits to Central Africa)

Current Level of Tourism Development

There is some formal interest from tourism tourism in Mt. Cameroon National Park.

Transportation costs are “moderate,” and its relatively easy to access

Tourism circuit opportunities & site linkages, as suggested by expert stakeholders:

Lobéké NP Campo Ma’an NP

Key Takeaways:

The park is much easier to reach via ground transportation compared to other Congo Basin sites.

Despite international travel warnings, stakeholders report the park as being just as secure as the region’s average.

The reported traveler experience, current level of development, and potential for future tourism development all rank higher than the regional average - a great sign for interested investors or local stakeholders.

Responses collected from Congo Basin experts & stakeholders via Qualtrics surveys, from October 2023 - March 2024

Destination Scorecard:

*For additional information on security, see site analysis below.

Mount…